Waiting for the Millenials: Xbox

An increasing concern for Pay TV operators is the video consumption practices of the youthful sort, the 18-34 year olds, a.k.a Millennials, a.k.a Cord Nevers. This generation of video consumers is far more savvy with far more choices than its predecessors. It's becoming more apparent that Millennials are not going to simply follow the single monthly subscription model that their parents have habituated on. 

 Xbox is having some success reaching this group -- recent statistics from Microsoft reveal that 42% of Xbox Live members stream 30 hours of video monthly.  Xbox live has nearly 50 million subscribers, so this is more than an asterisk on a recent Nielsen report. Microsoft owns the content discovery and navigation experience, displacing the UX of the Pay TV operator, who is relegated to an almost invisible position even as it delivers the entire streaming experience into the ecosystem.  

Pay TV operators have plans of their own, of course. TV Everywhere initiatives are in play, and just last week, TWC indicated that are planning to bring their UX experience to devices such as the Xbox (or Roku, etc) for customers within their service footprint.

DVB RDK at IBC

IBC proved to be a great introduction of RDK to markets beyond the US. Highlighting its ongoing world-wide development efforts, Alticast showed a DVB-RDK solution which attracted attention from European, Middle Eastern and Asian video service providers. This also included satellite providers looking to expand their market reach. There were two well attended RDK special sessions which made it apparent that this open software solution is headed towards global adoption.

CME Will Use Alticast’s Platform for the New Voyo Player, The Pure IP STB, Connected to its Subscription Video-On-Demand Service

September 23, 2013—Seoul, Korea—Alticast, the leader in interactive TV open standard software solutions, and Central European Media Enterprises (CME) have announced that CME’s subscription video-on-demand service, Voyo, will be available on the new Voyo Player STB that will be powered by Alticast’s OTT STB Platform starting in September 2013 in the Czech Republic. The platform will subsequently be deployed in other CME countries.

CME is deploying AltiPlatform™ and AltiView^TM, which allows the broadcaster to launch pure IP STB throughout CME’s markets. AltiPlatform enables the launch of new services with minimal expense and fast time-to-market, while maintaining full compatibility with existing devices, security and networks. AltiPlatform is based upon open standards and can grow to accommodate new requirements, including HTML5 applications, Microsoft Playready DRM, DASH.

“We are very excited to roll-out this amazing full featured consumer experience,” said Claudiu Paraschiv, Head of Technology, CME. “Consumers first want to watch TV but as the market has evolved the demand for interactive services and content is in demand. Alticast has enabled CME to provide the applications and content desired by our subscribers. They have been a great partner in ensuring that we can satisfy our customers’ needs now and in the future.”

Alticast’s AltiPlatform, is a global leading middleware solution for operators and broadcasters. AltiPlatform is used in over 30 million devices worldwide, including set top boxes, smart TVs, mobile phones and portable embedded devices, Blu-Ray Disc players, and personal computers. AltiPlatform supports HbbTV, HTML5, MHP, OCAP (tru2way), BD-J and ensures support of DTV signaling around the world. It supports terrestrial, satellite and cable and has already been deployed in Europe.

“Alticast is very pleased to work with CME and launch this exciting new experience for CME’s subscribers. Alticast will continue to support and develop the exciting applications that enable it to increase subscriber numbers as well as launch new revenue generating services,” said Thomas Jung, CMO, Alticast.

About CME
CME is a media and entertainment company operating leading businesses in six Central and Eastern European markets with an aggregate population of approximately 50 million people. CME broadcasts television channels in Bulgaria (bTV, bTV Cinema, bTV Comedy, bTV Action, bTV Lady and Ring.bg), Croatia (Nova TV, Doma, Nova World and MiniTV), the Czech Republic (TV Nova, Nova Cinema, Nova Sport, Fanda, Smíchov, Telka and MTV Czech), Romania (PRO TV, PRO TV International, Acasa, Acasa Gold, PRO Cinema, Sport.ro, MTV Romania, PRO TV Chisinau and Acasa Moldova), the Slovak Republic (TV Markíza, Doma,  Dajto and Fooor), Slovenia (POP TV, Kanal A, Brio, Oto and Kino). CME also operates Voyo, the pan-regional video-on-demand service. CME is traded on the NASDAQ and the Prague Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CETV”.

Alticast demonstrate RDK on STMicroelectronics’ Orly SoC at IBC

Seoul, Korea—September 12, 2013--  Alticast,  a worldwide leader in interactive TV open standard software solutions, announced today they will be demonstrating an RDK set-top solution on the Orly (STiH416) SoC platform from STMicroelectronics at IBC in Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 13-17 in the Alticast booth, Hall 1: F36 and ST booth, Hall 1: F40.

Alticast’s integration of RDK software on the ST platform creates a state-of-the-art set-top product.  The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is an integrated software bundle that can be accessed by operators in need of a software stack for set-top devices. Alticast combines standard RDK or DVB RDK with their Application Framework providing operators the flexibility to implement specific content delivery and business solutions. ST’s powerful processor platform along with Alticast’s RDK solution provides a very competitive offering for operators and OEMs.

“Alticast’s software running on the Orly SoC-based high-performance RDK platform provides a compelling solution to OEMs worldwide. We look forward to deploying Alticast’s middleware on Orly and its derivative products,” said Youssef Kamel, Set-Top Box Director Gateway and Client Business, Unified Platform Division, STMicroelectronics.

“This is a very exciting time in the market with RDK revolutionizing the content delivery business. ST’s international footprint allows Alticast’s RDK and DVB RDK solutions to provide customers broader choice worldwide,” stated Thomas Jung, CMO, Alticast, Corp. 

Industry Veteran David Nicholas Joins Alticast

Denver, CO – September 9, 2013 - Alticast, a worldwide leader in deployed interactive television solutions, announced today that David Nicholas has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Sales.  Nicholas brings almost three decades of industry experience to Alticast. David’s most recent position was as Vice President, Sales at iNovo Broadband. 

David has served in executive level positions at Panasonic, BigBand Networks, Symmetricom, N2 Broadband, Concurrent and Phillips Electronics.  Prior to joining iNovo Broadband, he was VP/General Manager, CATV Group at Panasonic, where he was responsible for the refocus and restructuring of the business in the US market.

“Alticast is pleased to have someone with David Nicholas’ insight and experience guiding our North American business activities,“ said Alticast CMO Thomas Jung. “David is well known and respected in our business sector, he will ensure we continue to anticipate, develop and deliver solutions that meet our US and Canadian customers’ revenue and operating goals.”

Alticast and Entropic to Showcase RDK at IBC 2013

Seoul, Korea and SAN DIEGO — September 5, 2013 — At this month’s IBC exhibition in Amsterdam, Alticast,  a worldwide leader in open standards based software for video service delivery and Entropic (NASDAQ: ENTR), a world leader in semiconductor solutions for the connected home, will demonstrate Reference Design Kit (RDK) and RDK set-top box solutions. The IBC demonstrations, which take place September 13-17, in the Alticast booth (Hall 1, F36) and the Entropic Meeting Suite (Hall 13, Suite G106/G107), will showcase Alticast’s proven RDK integration expertise on Entropic’s powerful system-on-a-chip (SoC) platform – to offer more competitive RDK-based IP set-top box (IP-STB) solutions for global Pay-TV operators.

Alticast is an expert RDK system integrator working with major US, European and Latin American operators to leverage RDK as part of the transition to IP.  The integration between Entropic and Alticast expands the breadth of RDK SoC providers, giving operators new options when selecting their STB solution. Alticast combines standard RDK or extended RDK for DVB Networks with Alticast’s Application Framework providing operators the flexibility to implement specific content delivery and business solutions. 

Entropic was one of the first RDK licensees and offers both single-core ARM® Cortex™-A9 (EN7584) and dual-core Cortex-A9 (EN7588) processors bundled with its leading Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA®) connectivity solution. With an Entropic RDK SoC solution, Pay-TV operators can deploy a range of cost-effective MoCA-enabled IP-Client devices that will run native and cloud-based applications.

“The Entropic and Alticast collaboration brings together two market-leading innovators offering operators versatility when implementing RDK.  We welcomed the opportunity to work with Entropic allowing us to expand our RDK footprint,” stated Thomas Jung, CMO, Alticast, Corp.

 

Roger Gregory, Entropic’s vice president of Marketing added, “Alticast’s experience with RDK allowed quick integration with the Entropic STB SoC and MoCA platform.  The integrated solution allows operators to accelerate their move to new IP-based STB solutions, which is critical in the evolution from traditional broadcast to gateway/client architectures.”

About RDK

The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is an integrated software bundle that can be accessed by operators in need of a software stack for set-top devices.   The Open Source RDK platform was created with the expectation of reduced time to market by providing a set of key software and hardware modules that expedite the deployment of new set-top boxes into existing environments.

About Alticast

Alticast provides ecosystems and multi-screen solutions that enable operators to offer consumers innovative and reliable TV experiences.  Our solutions provide new levels of TV interactivity required by operators and consumers worldwide, delivering personalized and compelling content securely over broadcast, broadband, and mobile platforms.  We are defining the future of the media experience that delights, entertains, and informs.

About Entropic

Entropic™ (Nasdaq: ENTR) is a world leader in semiconductor solutions for the connected home. The Company transforms how traditional HDTV broadcast and IP-based streaming video content is seamlessly, reliably, and securely delivered, processed, and distributed into and throughout the home. Entropic's next-generation Set-top Box (STB) System-on-a-Chip (SoC) and Connectivity solutions enable Pay-TV operators to offer consumers more captivating whole-home entertainment experiences by transforming the way digital entertainment is delivered, connected and consumed – in the home and on the go. For more information, visit Entropic at: www.entropic.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Entropic's SoC technologies, its related prospects and its role in the future of connected home entertainment. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Entropic's actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, competition, risks associated with Entropic dependence on a limited number of customers and suppliers, technology risks, the risk that the market for HD video and multimedia content delivery solutions may not develop as Entropic anticipates and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Entropic's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Entropic is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Copyright© 2013 Entropic. All rights reserved. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Thoughts on Blink from "The HTML5 Test" blog

Here's an interesting article for you all to check out on Google's departure for the Webkit community

http://blog.html5test.com/

Enjoy!